Here is my favourite essay on ‘Wild Animals’ for class 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. Find paragraphs, long and short essays on ‘Wild Animals’ especially written for school and college students.
Essay on Wild Animals
Essay Contents:
- Essay on Tiger (Panthers Tigris)
- Essay on Lion (Panthera Leo)
- Essay on Panther or Leopard (Panthera Pardus)
- Essay on Elephant (Elephas Maximus)
- Essay on Rhinoceros/One-Horned Rhino (Rhinoceros Unicornis)
- Essay on Gaur or Indian Bison (Bos Gaurus)
- Essay on Blackbuck or Indian Antelope (Antilope Cervicapra)
- Essay on Cheetal or Spotted Deer (Axis Axis)
- Essay on Sambhar (Cervus Unicolor)
- Essay on Barasingha or Swamp Deer (Cervus Duvauceli)
- Essay on Musk Deer (Moschus Chrysogaster (Moschiferus))
- Essay on Barking Deer or Muntjac (Muntiacus Muntjack)
- Essay on Mouse Deer or Indian Chevrotain (Tragulus Meminna)
1. Essay on Tiger (Panthers Tigris):
Tiger is the top carnivorous animal playing a major role in the food-chain and thus in eco-balance. The Indian tiger is a rich-coloured (golden-red to yellowish-brown) well-striped of black colour. Internal part of cheek, neck, abdomen, ears and legs are white.
Number of stripes and colour varies individual to individual and its distance also varies according to the age. There is white colour on the upper part of the each eye bearing black pattern which also varies from individual to individual and, thus it helps in recognising the particular individual tiger. Thus, individual variation is a great.
Tiger has been divided into eight races/sub-species on the basis of geographical distribution having differences in colour, size and shape of the skull and stripes. The sub-species are the Indian (Panthera tigris tigris), the Siberian (P.t. altaica), the Chinese (P.t. amoyensis), the Indo- Chinese (P.t. corbetti), the Caspian (P.t. virgata), the Sumatran (P.t. sumatrae), the Javan (P.t. sondaica) and the Balinese (P.t. balica).
The Indian race (Panthera tigris tigris), designated as the typical tiger, is found practically throughout India from the Himalayas to Cape Comorin; except in the deserts of Rajasthan, the Punjab, Cutch and Sind. Its range extends into Burma. In Sri Lanka, tiger is not found. In Indian sub-continent, Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) is found.
In Riwa (Madhya Pradesh), race of White Tiger is found. Its average length is about 300 cm (10′) of male and 270 cm (9′) of female having average weight 230 kg of male and 200 kg of female. The origin of white tiger is interesting one.
In 1951, a white male cub was trapped in Rewa Forest (Madhya Pradesh State) and was mated with a normal tigress producing three normal litters; afterwards a female from the second litter was mated with its father (the white tiger) which produced four white cubs in 1958. In this way, the further generations were carried on. They have no albinos (pink eyes) but have recessive mutants, stripes are dark brown on a whitish background and bluish eyes.
It lives in humid evergreen forests, in dry open jungle, and in the grassy swamps of the tarai; while in the Sunderbans it leads an almost amphibious life in a terrain of trees, mud and water. Three things are essential to the tiger viz the neighbourhood of large animals upon which it can prey, ample shade to sleep in, and water to quench its thirst. Ordinarily; the tiger hunts between sunset and dawn, but in cold or clouded day with rain it will be up and about.
It hunts game of all kinds including elephants (usually females or young), gaur, and buffalo. It preys on deer, nilgai, wild pig, bear and porcupine; and also kills and eats panther and other tiger. In case of hunger, it will eat almost anything like fowl, fish, reptile or carrion.
Many, in the absence of game animals or from opportunity, turn to cattle-lifting. The habit may be acquired in age or by following parental example when quite young. The same applies to man-eating. It takes water readily and swims with ease in that.
Tiger has super senses of hearing and sight. Its striped body conceals its form as it creeps within striking distance of its prey. It is a pertinent hunter. Although it can reach astonishing speed while charging upon a prey, it cannot sustain such speeds for long because of its heavy body weight. Therefore, it approaches the prey as near as possible before springing on it. Only one in twenty of its hunting attempts succeed, so well matched are the defences of the prey animals.
In India, many tigers seem to mate after the rains (October-November) and the majority of young are born between February and May. Whether the tiger is always monogamous is not known as the tiger with more than one female has been seen.
Association between the male and female appears to end when the cubs are born, but there may be some companionship for a varying period after that. Tiger is solitary animal unlike the lion which is social animal living in family (pride). Gestation period is 15 to 16 weeks (4 months) and usually 2-3 but up to 6 cubs in a litter.
The cubs wander about their lair, and when about 6 months old accompany the mother in her hunting and may stay with her until 2 years old, and even after she has acquired a new mate. Sexual maturity is attained at 3 years of age by the female and at 4 years by the male. The life span of the tiger is estimated to be about 20 years.
2. Essay on Lion (Panthera Leo):
It is top carnivore playing very important role in ecosystem and food-chain. The Indian Lion or Asiatic Lion is found today only in Gir Forest in the Junagarh district of Gujarat State in India in the whole Asian continent and, hence, called as Asiatic Lion (Parthere leo persica). In Africa, the African lion (Panthere leo) are found besides Asiatic lion.
The lion was once found over the whole of Northern and Central India as far South as Narmada. It is now restricted to the Gir Forest of Gujarat.
It lives in scrub forest. It preys on deer, nilgai, gaur, buffalo etc. In the Gir forest, they prey mainly on game-animal and cattle. Its average length is about 275 cm (9′).
There is no particular breeding-season. In Gir, many lions mate in October-November and youngs are produced in January-February .The gestation period is about 116 days (4 months). Youngs are produced at intervals of at least 18 months to 2 years. In the meantime, they remain in desertification. Ordinarily, two cubs in a litter are born but sometimes three or as many as five. Sexual maturity 2 ½ to 3 years in female and in male it is when 5 years old.
The lion is a social animal. The male stays with the family and helps to defend the youngs and female gets food for them. It lives in family (pride) up to thirty individuals. The male lion has mane, a more pronounced tuft of hair around the neck.
The Asiatic Lion has scantier mane than African Lion. The colour of the body has brown coat, a longer tassel of hair at the end of its tail, a more pronounced tuft of hair on the elbow joints and fringe of hair on its belly. The mane is light or dark rarely black. Cubs are spotted or striped.
3. Essay on Panther or Leopard (Panthera Pardus):
It is a carnivorous animal. The Indian Panther ranges over the whole country extending upto Burma and Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Eleven races of panther are found in Asia, three of them occur in India.
Average length is 215 cm (7′), female is about 30 cm less. Average weight is 50 kg for male and 40 kg for female, it is short haired with fulvous coat marked with close black rosettes. There may be slight variation in colour in the animals living in hot and cold climates.
Panthers are capable to live anywhere and hence unlike tigers, they are not restricted in dense forests and thrive well in open rocks and scrub. They generally hunt at night but can do in day time also. Their preys are cattle, deer, monkeys, smaller beasts, rodents, porcupines, birds, reptiles, crabs etc. This big size animals like sambhar, nilgai, barasingha generally escape.
Since; panthers live near human habitation outside forest areas, generally prey domestic animals. To secure its kill, panther carries a full-grown deer scrambling up a tree in its mouth. Hence, leopards are adapted for climbing trees in which they hide their kills and from where they sometimes ambush prey.
Breeding-season is throughout the year. Sexual maturity is obtained aground 3 to 4 years. Gestation period is about 3 months and generally 2 cubs per litter are born. Life span is about 12-17 years.
4. Essay on Elephant (Elephas Maximus):
With its pendant trunk, its curious dentition, and its great size; the elephant presents distinctive characters which differentiate it from all other mammals. The shortness of the neck and the height of the head from the ground necessitated the development of a proboscis or trunk, a combined and lengthened nose and upper lip, as a device of securing food and water.
Its development is accompanied by marked changes in the character and form of the skull which has no snout. The bony part of the face is almost straight. Other physical changes undergone by elephant are seen in the increase in the size and complexity of the teeth, their consequent diminution in number, and the development of a particular method of tooth-succession.
All the canine teeth have been lost and all the incisors except the second pair in the upper jaw which have developed into tusks. Generally, only the males have large tusks. The tusks of female scarcely protrude or may protrude a few inches.
The contour of the tusks varies. They may be widespread, curved, and straight or pointed downwards. In some males, the tusks are no longer than females and called as Tuskless or Makhana. Many of these Tuskless males or Makhnas are very large in build with extraordinarily well-developed trunks.
They have great size, development of pillar like limbs to support the enormous weight of the body which again implied the straightening of the limb bones and a change in the angle of their articulation. The foot itself changed its posture or “sole to the ground” and a thick pad of gristle developed beneath each foot and so formed a cushion to receive its share of the weight.
The toes embedded in the common mass of the cylindrical foot and encased in a common skin. Their position is indicated externally by broad flat nails which may be fewer than the number of toes. Thus, the limb bones developed into vertical shafts through which the weight of the body is transmitted.
The average height of Indian elephant is 9′ (2.75 m) of male and about 30 cm less in female. As a thumb rule (based on field experience), the height of an elephant, can be estimated by its pug mark. The circumference of the pug mark is taken in feet and double of the circumference will be the approximate height of the elephant (unit of measurement must be in feet).
The Indian elephant are distributed in Western Ghats, from Mysore southwards, Orissa, Bihar/Jharkhand, Himalayas in U.P./Uttaranchal, West Bengal and Assam in India. It is also found in Ceylon, Burma, Siam (white elephant), Cochin-China, Malay Peninsula, Borneo, Sumatra and Africa. The elephant found in Ceylon are regarded as races, distinct from that found in India.
Elephants have very poor sight, but senses of smell and hearing are highly developed more than in most of the animals.
Elephants live chiefly in areas covered with tall forests where the ground is hilly or undulating and where bamboos grow in profusion. They are extremely adaptable and may live in steamy humid jungle or in cool elevated forests Individuals of the various sizes and ages associate in herds which may vary from 5 to 60 or more animals.
Herds are believed to be composed of single family. Different herds do not mix but stray females and young males may migrate from one herd into another. When fodder is scarce, the larger herds break up into small parties which reunite when conditions are favourable. In the dry season, the herds generally keep themselves in the denser forests but during the rains they come out into open jungle and frequently enter cultivation.
The big tuskers are usually seen feeding at some distance from the main herd. The bulls, when they arrive at a certain age, live as solitaries or two males of equal age may associate together. A solitary bull grazes with a herd when happens to be in the same patch of jungle, and will seek the herd when the urge to mate is on him and deserts again when his desire is satisfied.
When undisturbed, the herd pursues a regular and ordered routine, drinking and feeding in accustomed places and lying up to rest in its usual retreat. Elephants sleep during the hot hours of the day being intolerant of the sun, feed early in the morning and evening, and come out after nightfall to feed in open forest or to raid crops, retiring to sleep after midnight. An elephant rests standing of stretched out on its side.
The food consists of various kinds of grasses and leaves, stems and leaves of wild bamboos and plantations, all species of crops, and the bark of particular kind of trees. A full-grown elephant eats from 600-700 lb (270-320 kg) of green fodder a day and consumes 30-50 gallons (150-250 Its) water.
Male elephants, very rarely females, both tame and wild, on attaining maturity are subject to peculiar periodical paroxysms of excitement. At such times, they are spoken of as being “Musth.” The condition seems to have some connection with the sexual functions. It is probably analogous to the “rut” in deer.
It occurs most frequently during the cold season and may be due to ungratified sexual desire. This is not always so, since the society of a female will by no means quell or pacify the animal. At other times, a musth-elephant will seek a mate.
The exact breeding-season is uncertain, as most of the young’s are born in late autumn and the period of gestation lasts about 20 months, it is probable that the main breeding season is during the hot weather and at the commencement of the rains. One calf only is born at a time, though in rare instances twins and even triplets are produced.
The mother of a young calf is invariably assisted in caring for her young by another female, who takes on the duties of a guardian and is attentive in her care of the calf as the parent.
5. Essay on Rhinoceros/One-Horned Rhino (Rhinoceros Unicornis):
The rhinoceros have massive build, the thickness and solidity of their bones, short stumpy legs each furnished with three toes. The skin is either thinly covered with hair or naked and the heavy hide in places is thrown into deep folds.
The nasal bone is enlarged to serve as a support for horn. The horn is formed of a closely-matted mass of horny fibre issuing from the skin. It has no connection with the skull, although a boss of bone in the skull may serve its foundation. The horn grows throughout life and if lost are reproduced.
The skin of this massive creature is divided into great shields by heavy folds before and behind the shoulders and in front of the thighs. The fold in front of the shoulders is not continued right across the back, a distinctive character of the One-horned Indian Rhinoceros.
On the flanks, shoulders and hindquarters; the skin is studded with masses of rounded tubercles. With its grotesque build, long boat-shaped head, its folds of armour, and its tuberculated hide, the animal looks like a monster of some bygone age.
Formerly extensively distributed in Gangetic plain, today it is restricted to parts of Nepal and West Bengal in the north, the Dooars and Assam. Though it prefers swamp and grass, the Indian One-horned Rhino is also found in wood jungle, up ravines and low hills.
The average length is 6′ (180 cm), average height is about 6′ (170 cm) with a girth of 11′ (335 cm). Average length of horn is 8″ (203 mm).
It is smaller than the African White Rhinoceros but larger than the African Black.
The animal is solitary as a rule, though several may occupy the same patch of jungle. Its food consists chiefly of grass.
Breeding takes place at all times of the year. Gestation period is about 16 months. The female attains sexual maturity in 4 years and the male when 7 years old. Ordinarily, one young in a litter.
The majority of the Rhinoceros in India occur in the Kaziranga National Park in Sibsagar/Nowgong district in Assam.
Many legends and beliefs are attached to this animal. In Europe, during the middle ages, its horn was generally believed to have peculiar medicinal virtues, in Nepal, the flesh and the blood of rhinoceros is considered highly acceptable to the manes. High caste Hindus and most Gurkhas offer libation of the animal’s blood after entering its disemboweled body. On Sraddh days, the libation of water and milk is poured from a cup carved from its horn.
The urine is considered antiseptic and is hung in a vessel at the principal door as a charm against ghosts, evil spirits, and diseases. These beliefs connected with the rhinoceros are prevalent in varying forms in Burma, Siam and China. They set a great value upon the animal and provide the main reason for its persecution.
Thus, with the increase in the use of firearms, the exaggerated value attached to rhinoceros horn, and the superstitious beliefs entertained regarding the magical power of the blood and other parts, and even the urine of the animal; the species stands on the verge of extinction and needs strict protection.
6. Essay on Gaur or Indian Bison (Bos Gaurus):
With its huge head, deep massive body and strong limbs, the gaur is the personification of vigour and the strength. Very striking in gaur is the muscular ridge upon its shoulders which slopes down to the middle of the back where it ends in an abrupt dip. Gaur is the largest Indian bovine.
A newly-born gaur is light golden-yellow which soon changes to fawn, then to light brown, and so to coffee or reddish-brown, resembling the colour of young bulls and cows. Old bulls are jet black and their body is almost hairless.
An ashy forehead and yellowish or white stocking feet complete the livery. The gaur has no white patch behind the thighs (a character well-marked in the tsaine/banteng). The colour of the eyes is brown. In certain lights, as a result of reflection, they appear blue.
Average height is 5’10” (180 cm) of male and 170 cm of female. The spread of the horns taken together with their girth is the test of a good head. The average spread of the horn is 85 cm in male and female has slightly smaller and are rounded and have a narrower sweep. An old bull may have over 2000 lb (900 kg) in weight.
Gaur is distributed in Western Ghats southwards from south Maharashtra, hill-forests of central and south-eastern Peninsula and West Bengal eastwards to Burma and Malay Peninsula.
Though gaurs come down to low levels in certain seasons in search of pasture, they are essentially hill animals. Forests are essential to the existence of gaur. They come out to graze early in the morning and again in the afternoon. Their foods are chiefly grass but they also browse on leaves and eat the bark of certain trees.
They require dense forest that is free from disturbance and have abundant water and forage. They are partial to undulating terrain. When attacked by a tiger, the larger member of the herd forms a semi-circular front, keeping the calves behind and threatens the tiger with their horns.
An interesting relationship exists between gaur and elephants and the two are often found together. Gaur cannot reach the tall succulent branches of trees and bamboos. They feed on the branches pulled down by the elephants.
In common with many other animals, gaur has the habit of visiting “salt-licks”, spots where the ground is impregnated with salts and other minerals. It is believed that such earth acts as a purgative and rids the animals of internal parasites.
Gaur is by nature shy and timid animal. Their defence is their massive size and an acute sense of smell. As with most wild cattle, hearing and eyesight are comparatively poor.
The time of mating apparently varies as calves are born at all seasons (according to Schaller, in M.P. new born young’s are seen mainly from November to March and the peak of the rut is in March, April, May). Gestation period is not accurately known. It is said that the cow separates from the herd when her calf is born and remains with it for a few days feeding nearby. The herd remains in the vicinity and she rejoins it as soon as the offspring is able to accompany her. The calf becomes generally able to walk after ten minutes of its birth. One calf in a litter.
Gaur ordinarily lives in small herds of 8 to 12 animals. Older males live away from the cows except rutting season. The care and upbringing of the young and leadership of the herd are left entirely to the cows.
7. Essay on Blackbuck or Indian Antelope (Antilope Cervicapra):
The blackbuck is the sole representative in India of the genus Antilope. Its striking colour and its beautiful spiralled horns, which may reach the shoulder height of the animal, give it an excellent beauty hardly equaled by any other antelope. This exclusively Indian animal is perhaps the most beautiful of all its kind in its attractive natural gift.
When young, its coat is a yellowish-fawn and when three years old it commences to turn black. This darkening of the coat varies in intensity. In South India, the adult buck is rarely black, its coat remains a dark brown. Well-matured brown bucks may again be seen in all parts of the country. In general, there is a fading in the richness of tone during the hot weather and an increase in its velvety-lustre after the rains.
The horns in male are always present, while they may or may not be present in the female. The horns are generally long, more or less cylindrical and often lyre-shaped. They are commonly marked with prominent rings. In one year old buck, the horns are without spiral, in the second year a large open spiral is developed, and generally the full spiral twists are attained with the dark coat at the end of the third year.
Females attain sexual maturity between the age of 19 and 23 months (about 2 years). Blackbuck breed at all seasons but the main rut takes place between February and March. One or two young’s are produced at a time. The mother conceals them in the grass.
Blackbucks are usually seen in herds of 20 to 30 though in Rajasthan and Punjab it may be several hundreds. They live in open plains covered with scrub or cultivation. They enter open forests which contain wide expansion of grass. They feed on grass and various cereal crops. Usually, they graze till noon and again in the late afternoon. The leadership of herd is usually vested in an old and vigilant female.
A well-grown buck has average height 32″ (80 cm) at the shoulder and average weight 90 lb (40 kg). Horns seldom exceed 20″ (50 cm) in the south but may reach 25″ (65 cm) or more in north India.
Blackbuck occurs practically in all the plain areas except along the Indian coast southward from the neighbourhood of Surat. They avoid forest or hill tracts.
Note:
In Bihar State, Blackbuck is found in Kaimur plateau (Sasaram district) and more in the Arrah district near Ganges river especially in villages Sikroll and Sukarbalia.
8. Essay on Cheetal or Spotted Deer (Axis Axis):
The Cheetal is perhaps the most beautiful of all the deer. Its coat is a bright rufous-fawn profusely spotted with white at all ages and in all seasons. Old males (bucks/stags) are more brownish in colour and darker. The lower series of spots on the flanks are arranged in longitudinal rows.
The beautiful antlers have three times, a long brow-tine set nearly at right angle to the beam and two branch-tines at the top. The outer tine, the continuation of the beam, is always longer.
It may be noted that old stags often have one or more false points on the brow antler where it joins the main beam. Antlers are found only in males as the characteristic of Cervidae (deer family). There is face-gland in male and no gall-bladder as general distinguishing characters of deer.
In India, Cheetal are found in the forests at the base of the Himalayas and practically throughout the Peninsula and Ceylon, wherever there is jungle combined with good grazing and a plentiful supply of water.
It is unknown in the arid plains of Punjab, Sind, in a large portion of Rajasthan and the countries east of the Bay of Bengal. It is found in Assam in the Goalpara, Kamrup and Darrang districts. It is at its best in the Himalayan foothills, in the jungles of the Tarai, and in Madhya Pradesh. It is favourite prey of lion, tiger and panther.
Average height of stag is 36″ (90 cm) at the shoulder and weight about 190 lb (85 kg). The average length of antler is 34″ (85 cm) but 31″ (80 cm) in South India.
They remain in herds of 10 to 30 animals containing 2 or 3 stags but may be met with several hundred also. They do not avoid the proximity of villages but enter cultivation and frequently associate with many forest animals, particularly with monkeys. Monkey and Cheetal are often seen together.
Cheetal feed on twigs and fruits dropped by the monkey and also benefit from the keen eye sight of the monkey which can spot tiger, lion, and leopard from far. The monkey, too receive warning of the approach of predators from the wary Cheetal. Cheetal are nocturnal but less than Sambhar and feed till late in the morning and again in the afternoon and lie down during rest period in shade.
The time at which the stags shed their antlers varies in different localities. The new antlers are in velvet condition.
The rutting-stag has a loud harsh bellow being fierce and combats between the males for the possession of the hinds.
In Madhya Pradesh, the mating season is at its height in May. In North India, the pairing is during the winter months. Fawns may be met with at any season. Usually, the mother gives birth to a single fawn. Cheetal are prolific breeders and an interval of six months may see the production of a new family. Thus, breeding takes place in all the seasons. Life span is 9-11 years.
9. Essay on Sambhar (Cervus Unicolor):
Sambhar is the largest Indian deer having up to 150 cm height at shoulder and weighing up to 320 kg. It is found in India, Burma, Ceylon and Malay. The typical race is of Ceylon named as Cervus unicolor unicolor and the Indian race is called as C. u. niger. The Malay race C.u. equinus is supposed to extend from Assam. Hence, it is the typical deer of south- eastern Asia. It is favourite prey of tiger, lion, panther, wild dog. A tiger can feed on an adult sambhar kill for 3-4 days.
It has coarse and shaggy coat of brown colour. The female is lighter and the old male turns to very dark almost black. In stag, there is mane around the neck and throat. The antlers are stout and rugged. The brow-tine is set at an acute angle with the beam which forks into two equal tines. The antlers fully grow in four years. Casting takes place generally in March-April and new antlers come in May in velvet condition. Average length of antler is 90 cm.
They live in hilly forest sides near cultivation feeding on grass, leaves and wild fruit (herbivorous in nature).They feed mainly at night. Sambhar is oftenly of solitary nature, but sometimes they are in pair or in small herd also. The males fight for territory. Breeding takes place in November-December. After rutting, they live solitary life till breeding- season returns. Gestation period is about 6-7 months and young ones are born in May-June, generally one young in a litter.
The actual longevity is not known very well but it is assumed to be 25 years.
10. Essay on Barasingha or Swamp Deer (Cervus Duvauceli):
Barasingha or Swamp deer is limited to India. Two races have been recognized viz. the Swamp-dwelling, Cervus duvauceli found in Tarai (Uttaranchal), Assam and Sunderbans having splayed hooves and larger skull; and another is C. d. branderi found in Madhya Pradesh (Kanha National Park) with smaller well-knit hooves.
In the Tarai, it lives in marshy land and comes occasionally out of water. In Madhya Pradesh, it lives in grassy land in the forest and less depending upon the water.
It has brown-yellow coat. The male has mane and darker in colour. The average height is 135 cm. Two forms of antlers are found. In some cases, the beam takes a backward and them forward curve bringing the points in line with the top of the head. Half way up the beam, tines are given off at intervals. In other cases, the brow-tine is set at right angle to the bean which grows with an outward curve giving the antlers a wider spread.
At the point where it branches, the beam takes an almost horizontal curve and given off a number of vertical tines each of which throws out shoots. 10-15 is the usual number of points and may be more. The average length of antler is 75 cm and has been found up to 105 cm.
They are herbivorous, feeding in morning and evening. They are gregarious in nature. The longevity is not well-known. Breeding season varies in different places. In Tarai, it is at peak in November and in Assam it is at peak in rainy season. In M.P. (Kanha National Park), it is at peak in January. Females attain sexual maturity at the age of two years. Gestation period is of six months.
Both the races are at present in danger as their number is very less and so needs strict protection.
11. Essay on Musk Deer (Moschus Chrysogaster (Moschiferus)):
It is a little creature not more than 20″ (50 cm) high at the shoulder. The musk deer holds a place between the deer and the antelopes. It is regarded as an undeveloped form of deer which has not progressed with the rest of its family. It is antlerless and has no face-gland in male which are generally present in all deer, but has a gall-bladder which no deer possesses.
In some way, it has taken a special line of development of its own. This is seen in its possession of a caudal- gland and a musk-gland in male. The tail of musk deer is peculiar, it is completely buried in the long hair of the anal region and the most part is naked except for a large tuft at the tip and a tuft at the base which covers its upper surface and sides.
The lateral surface of the tail bears in its flaccid skin, a narrow slit which is the opening of the caudal gland. The musk gland is situated beneath the skin of the abdomen of the males. When fresh, its secretion has an unpleasant, pungent, urinary odour; but when dry it acquires the scent of musk which has high commercial value and thus induces persecution of the species.
From the great development of the caudal and musk glands, it indicates that in this deer the females seek out the males in the breeding-season. Musk deer has specially mobile feet, the long pointed central hooves and usually large lateral hooves being well-adapted to give it a foothold on snowy slopes and slippery rocks.
The absence of antlers is compensated by the great development of the upper canine teeth projecting below the lower jaw, particularly in the males that is called as tusks. The musk deer wears a coat of thick and bristly hair, almost spongy in structure. The general colour is a shade of rich dark brown speckle with grey.
Musk deer, range over a wide area in Central and North-eastern Asia. The typical form M.m. moschiferus is found in Kashmir, Nepal and Sikkim.
Musk deer live singly or in pairs and are generally met within birch forest above the pine-zone; and at times they come down to lower levels, always live in thick cover. They scarp out a shallow form in which they lie concealed. They come out to feed in the mornings and evenings. The food consists of grass, lichens, leaves and flowers.
Breeding season is believed to be in January and the young’s are born in June, and hence having gestation period of about six months.
12. Essay on Barking Deer or Muntjac (Muntiacus Muntjack):
Barking deer range over the greater part of the Indo-Malayan countries and are also found in China, Formosa and Japan. Various races are recognized over this wide range. The Muntjac of north India is M.m. vaginalis. The southern form is M.m. aureus. A third race, M. m. malabaricus, is found in Malabar and extends to Ceylon. The Muntjac of Tenasserim M. feae (Thomas & Doria) is regarded as a distinct species. The coat of the North Indian race is bright chestnut, and bright red form is common in Burma.
The antlers are small consisting of short brow-tine and an un-branched beam. They are set on bony hair-covered pedicels which extend down each side of the face as bony ridges, and hence named as “Rib-faced deer”. In does, tufts of bristly hair replace the antlers. Old males are browner in colour. The upper canines of the male are well- developed as tusks and are used in self-defence.
Height at the shoulder of an adult male is 20″ to 30″ (50 to 75 cm) and weight about 48-50 lb (22-23 kg). Excluding the pedicel which may be up to 3″- 4″ (8-10 cm) long, the antler rarely exceeds 5″ (13 cm). Average Indian antler measures 2″- 3″ (5 -8 cm), the pedicel 3″ -4″ (8 – 10 cm). Antlers shed during May-June.
They live in thickly wooded hills. In Himalayas and South India, it occurs up to 5000′ to 8000′ (1500-2450 m) sometimes even higher. They are seen singly or in pairs or in small families. They remain more or less in thick jungle and come out to graze in the outskirts of forest or in open. They are fairly diurnal in habit. Their food consists of various leaves, grasses and wild fruits. The coil from a distance sounds much like the barking of a dog. When alarmed or in fight, they give out a series of short cackling barks.
They breed in all seasons. Rutting mainly takes place in cold weather. Usually one, sometimes two youngs are born in a litter at the beginning of the rains (gestation period is about 6 months).
13. Essay on Mouse Deer or Indian Chevrotain (Tragulus Meminna):
It is very small deer having height of 10″-13″ (25-30 cm) at shoulder. It is cloven-hoofed, gentle, timid creature and tamed easily.
Like other ruminants, mouse-deer have no front teeth in the upper jaw but they differ in having a three-chambered stomach in place of one with four divisions. They have four well-developed toes on each foot, the bones of the petty or side toes being complete; in other ruminants some of these bones are imperfect and wanting.
Antlers are not developed. Mouse deer, like musk deer, are furnished with tusks which are better developed in males. The Asiatic Chevrotain is distinguished from the African having true developed cannon bones.
The Indian mouse deer, like all other mouse deer, is a tiny little creature with very slender limbs and high hindquarters. Because of its small size, shy habits and very protective colouring; it easily escapes observation. Its coat is olive-brown minutely speckled with yellow. The flanks are marked with rows of buff or white spots which elongate and pass into longitudinal bands. The lower parts are white. The throat has three white stripes.
It is distributed in forested areas of Ceylon and Southern India at elevations up to 6000′ (1850 m). It has been reported from Nepal also.
The Indian mouse deer shelters in the forest or grassy rocky hill sides. It conceals itself in the crevices of rocks or among large boulders. Pursued by dogs, it shows an amazing ability in climbing up the inside of a hollow standing tree.
They come out to feed in the mornings or at dusk. It never dares to go far out into the open, and hides itself when alarmed. In these hides, the female brings forth her young’s, generally two in number at the end of rains or the commencement of the cold season. The males live solitary except during the pairing season.
The two Malayan species are the Larger Malay Chevrotain (T. napu) and the Lesser Malay Chevrotain (T. javanicus). The former is about 28″ (70 cm) long and 12″ (33 cm) high; the latter is no longer than 18″ (45 cm) from the tip of the nose to the root of the tail. The smaller animal has three white stripes on its throat, the larger five. Both species are common in the forests of Tenasserim.
